You buy furniture to use it, not worry about it. A new sofa is going to host movie nights. A dining table will see family dinners. Recliners will hold drinks, kids will climb onto sectionals, and pets will find their favorite spot whether you planned for it or not.
Being careful helps. Being prepared helps more.
That is where a furniture protection plan can come in. It can provide coverage for certain accidental damage that a typical manufacturer warranty may not cover, including things like spills, stains, rips, tears, scratches and dents.
Before you add a protection plan, it is worth understanding what it covers, how it works and whether it makes sense for the furniture you are buying.
Furniture Is Made to Be Lived On
Furniture is part of everyday life. That means accidents are going to happen sometimes, even when you take good care of your home.
- A drink spills on the sofa during movie night.
- A pet scratches or damages upholstery.
- A dining table gets a scratch, dent or water mark.
- Fabric gets accidentally ripped or torn.
- A mirror or piece of glass gets broken.
- A powered or reclining furniture component experiences a covered mechanical problem.
A protection plan is not about expecting something to go wrong. It is about having a plan in place if a covered accident does happen.
What Is a Furniture Protection Plan?
A furniture protection plan is optional coverage that can help with certain accidental damage and other covered problems after you purchase furniture. The exact coverage depends on the plan, so it is important to review the terms before buying.
At American Freight, eligible furniture and mattresses can be protected through Mulberry. The program is designed to work alongside applicable manufacturer warranty coverage rather than simply replacing it.
If you are shopping for a new sofa or sectional, dining set, bedroom furniture or mattress, protection is worth considering at the same time you think about how the product will actually be used in your home.
What Types of Furniture Damage Can a Protection Plan Cover?
Coverage varies by plan, but American Freight’s Mulberry program includes coverage for several types of qualifying accidental damage. These can include:
- Food and beverage stains
- Accidental rips and tears
- Certain human and pet bodily fluid stains
- Chipped, dented or scratched surfaces
- Broken mirrors and glass
- Pet damage from a singular covered incident
- Certain product defects and mechanical breakdowns, depending on the product and plan
The important word is covered. Protection plans have terms, limits and exclusions. Always review your specific plan details so you know what qualifies before you need to file a claim.
Think About How Your Furniture Will Actually Be Used
For most shoppers, we recommend thinking less about whether you are a careful person and more about how much real-life use the furniture will get.
Homes With Kids
Kids and furniture are a high-use combination. Snacks move from the kitchen to the sofa. Drinks spill. Markers, toys and everyday play can create accidents. If a sofa, sectional or dining table is going to be part of daily family life, accidental-damage coverage may be especially useful.
Homes With Pets
Pets quickly make furniture part of their routine too. A protection plan may cover certain pet-related incidents, including qualifying pet damage and bodily fluids. Normal wear and tear is different from a covered accidental incident, so check the plan terms for the details.
Dining Rooms
Dining tables are built for meals, homework, holidays and everything in between. That also means exposure to spills, scratches, dents and water marks. Protection can be worth considering when the table is going to see frequent use.
Living Rooms
Sofas, sectionals and recliners are some of the hardest-working furniture in the house. Food, drinks, pets, kids and daily sitting all happen in the same place. For reclining or powered furniture, a plan may also include certain covered mechanical breakdowns.
Bedrooms and Mattresses
Bedroom furniture can still be scratched, dented or damaged, while mattresses have their own protection needs. American Freight’s Mulberry program offers different plan lengths for furniture and mattresses, so make sure you are looking at the coverage designed for the product you are buying.
Furniture Protection Plan vs. Manufacturer Warranty: What Is the Difference?
A manufacturer warranty and a furniture protection plan are not the same thing.
Manufacturer warranties generally focus on covered defects in materials or workmanship and follow the manufacturer’s own terms and time limits.
Furniture protection plans can add coverage for certain accidental damage, such as qualifying stains, tears, scratches and dents. Depending on the plan and product, additional covered problems may also be included.
That difference matters because a perfectly good piece of furniture can still be damaged by an accident. A spill or scratch is not necessarily a manufacturing defect, which is why accidental-damage protection can fill a different need.
Is a Furniture Protection Plan Worth It?
There is no single answer for every purchase. A protection plan may be worth considering when the furniture gets frequent use or when an unexpected repair or replacement would be difficult for your budget.
Before deciding, ask yourself:
- How much does the furniture cost?
- Will we use it every day?
- Do we have kids or pets in the home?
- Will food or drinks regularly be around it?
- Does the furniture include powered or reclining components?
- Would I rather pay for protection now than take on the full cost of a covered repair or replacement later?
For furniture that gets used every day, adding protection can be a relatively small upfront cost compared with dealing with an unexpected covered repair or replacement later. The right choice comes down to the product, your household and the plan terms.
What Does American Freight’s Protection Plan Include?
American Freight offers Mulberry protection plans on eligible products. Current program materials include 5-year plans for furniture and 10-year plans for mattresses.
The program also includes several features designed to make covered claims straightforward:
- No deductible for approved claims
- No hidden fees associated with approved claim costs
- Online claims submission available 24/7 through Mulberry
- Access to a Mulberry customer dashboard for plan details and claims
- Repair, replacement or reimbursement options for approved claims, subject to the plan’s terms and coverage limits
Coverage limits apply. Under the program terms provided to American Freight, coverage is limited up to the original purchase price of the covered product and may be reached through multiple repairs or a replacement or reimbursement.
What Happens If You Need to File a Claim?
After purchasing a Mulberry protection plan, customers receive a welcome email with access to their Mulberry dashboard. The dashboard lets you view your plan details and submit a claim online.
If a covered incident happens, file the claim as soon as possible and follow Mulberry’s instructions. Do not attempt an unauthorized repair first, because damage caused by an unauthorized repair can affect coverage.
Customers can manage their plan and claims through Mulberry and contact Mulberry customer support when additional help is needed.
Before You Add a Protection Plan, Read the Coverage
Protection plans can cover a lot, but they do not cover everything. The best time to understand the terms is before you need them.
Review what types of damage are covered, the coverage limit, exclusions and how claims work. For example, American Freight’s Mulberry training materials state that floods, wildfires and other Acts of God are not covered. Coverage also can be affected by damage resulting from unauthorized repairs.
The goal is simple: know what you are buying, keep your plan information handy and know what to do if a covered accident happens.
Shop Furniture With Everyday Life in Mind
The best furniture is furniture you can actually enjoy. Measure your space, choose pieces that fit the way your household lives, and think about protection before the first spill, scratch or tear happens.
You can shop furniture online, visit your local American Freight store, or learn more about pickup and delivery before bringing your new furniture home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Furniture Protection Plans
Does a furniture warranty cover accidental damage?
Usually, a manufacturer’s warranty is designed to cover defects in materials or workmanship, not accidental damage. A furniture protection plan can provide additional coverage for certain accidents such as spills, stains, rips, tears, scratches and dents. Always check the specific warranty and protection plan terms to understand what is covered.
Is a furniture protection plan worth it?
A furniture protection plan may be worth considering for furniture that gets a lot of everyday use, especially in homes with kids or pets. Think about the cost of the furniture, how often it will be used and how difficult an unexpected repair or replacement would be for your budget. Protection can provide extra peace of mind when covered accidents happen.
Does furniture protection cover pet damage?
Some furniture protection plans cover certain types of pet damage. American Freight’s Mulberry protection program includes coverage for human and pet bodily fluids and pet damage from a singular covered incident. Coverage and exclusions apply, so check your specific plan before purchasing or filing a claim.
Does furniture protection cover stains and spills?
Yes, certain furniture protection plans can cover accidental stains and spills. American Freight’s Mulberry protection program includes coverage for food and beverage stains as well as certain human and pet bodily fluids. Exact coverage depends on the terms of your plan.
Does a furniture protection plan cover scratches and dents?
It can. American Freight’s Mulberry furniture protection program includes coverage for chipped, dented and scratched surfaces when the damage qualifies under the plan. Because protection plans have specific terms and exclusions, review your coverage details to understand what types of accidental damage qualify.
What is the difference between a furniture warranty and a protection plan?
A manufacturer’s warranty generally protects against covered product defects, while a furniture protection plan can provide additional coverage for certain accidental damage. The two can work together rather than replace one another. American Freight’s Mulberry protection plans run alongside manufacturer warranty coverage and can protect against qualifying accidents such as stains, tears, scratches and dents.
How long does furniture protection last?
At American Freight, Mulberry offers 5-year protection plans for furniture and 10-year protection plans for mattresses. Once a plan expires, it cannot be renewed under the current program terms. Review your individual plan details for complete coverage information.
